[aargee]

Apr 11 - Ordered a saddle stay for my Interceptor & got this delivered 19-Apr. After 3 hours & 28 minutes, learnt a hard lesson that the side handle of Interceptor has to be removed to accommodate this product. In addition the saddle stay & the rear footrest for pillion (AdvTribe) cannot gel together.

Here're the pictures at Suspension end






Pictures at Footrest end. The AdvTribe footrest had to be nearly above the exhaust to get this fixed which otherwise has over healthy space between the footrest & exhaust




And you guessed it right, I've searched all possible videos, all of them unanimously show 2 things
1. Either a saddle stay model different than the one I bought, if it fits Interceptor with side handle
2. OR, same model of saddle stay, but the Interceptor is without side handle

If anyone has tried this model on your Interceptor without having to remove the side handle atleast, requesting to share the solution please. Thank you.

[aargee]

This is post #2 on this topic

Dealing with Kashtamer {Kashtam in Tamil = difficulty} (don't)care that has been an absolute nightmare!!


1. They only work seven hours a day, which just so happens to overlap with my own working hours. And don't even get me started on their phone number
2. You call the number, 8/12 times the phone disconnects right when you call or when #2 for support is pressed. Ok, let's try WhatsApp
3. And then there's the ridiculous amount of hoops I have to jump through just to prove that I'm a genuine customer. Pictures/invoices? Proof that I'm desperately seeking help? Even that's OK, but not the follow-ups!!
4. And let's not forget the video from Zana that completely missed the mark on the side handle. I pointed out the issue, but did they respond? Of course not
5. Again had to call them almost at their closing time, explained them the issue I'm facing & now they want me to shoot a video because their technical team cannot understand. This was the last straw of holding my frustration & told them why they cannot understand what I'm saying or even what was shared on WhatsApp. The recorder, sorry the Zana folks, kept playing the same mantra - They needed video
6. I was very positive they're absolutely not helping but dillydallying & was completely frustrated. That is when I started writing this post. But then, later reconsidered, thinking this a small world and didn't want to broadcast my negative experience. So, opted to send the video that they had requested instead.
7. Again no response. Had to follow-up, but now it seems the video I shared is not complete or not in their standards & it seems instead, they want me to make another video with my voice in it
8. Despite frustrated, tried to hold it & suggested connecting over a WhatsApp video call to demonstrate the issue to their technical team. But, NO!! They're adamant, no response from them regarding this alternative option
9. Instead they want me to visit a Helmet center (perhaps Zana dealer) in Chennai which is ~25 Km away, one way. So when I ask the reason as why I should be visiting there, no response. Reason to have asked them is to convince that even if I'm not qualified to their standard, I'm skilled enough to fix this & have more than sufficient tools to fix this.
10. Again followed-up, as usual no response. That was the last straw!!

I would consider an unnecessary doo-dad for Rs 2599 where frustration was a free gift from Zana & move on!!

Here's raw unedited conversation with Zana












After this there're some more conversation, all of them related to making the video & recording my voice in it. And they shared one more video in which the stay & side handle were fitting along together. And guess what? That model is different from the one they shipped to me.

[Axe77]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

Sorry to hear about the crummy experience with Zana.

This compatibility of accessories is a real issue at times. I recall I was trying to install a Givi adaptor on the rear rack of the Multistrada to mount a Givi top box. At the time, I had SW Motech side pannier mounts which house my SWM soft side bags. The two just weren’t compatible because an underside rod the Givi adaptor plate required fouled with the points where the side panniers were bolted.

Your fitment predicament reminded me of this exact issue I faced. I eventually went ahead with an SWM top box as well so that the two set ups never conflict with each other on the present or any future bike.

At the very least, from what you have narrated, Zana really could and should have handled the customer interface much better. Thanks for sharing the issue as well as the experience here for other prospective users.

[Rennjit]

Zana stuff generally is poorly made. Metal is thick but the bends, joints were uneven on the racks i bought for himalayan & later for xpulse. First one even had the coating flaking off in chunks within few months. Second one for xpulse would never fit the mounting holes & could never align left -right sides evenly. I had to spend close to a day to enlarge the holes with files/ rotary burrs to fit it someway.

Point is that most aftermarket stuff is not consistent in dimensions or finish. More often than not, getting them fit involves good luck as well. One needs to have loads of patience to finish.

[VijayAnand1]

Welcome to the club aargee ji!

Good that you brought this topic to fore.

Fact of the matter is, Zana though were good enough back then, they seem to have taken the laggard approach to any customer issues. I bought a saddle stay from Zana for my Himalayan, back in 2019 and was very happy with the product overall, but there were minor finishing flaws to say the least, but nothing out of the ordinary. In one word, expect the unexpected with Zana.

Let me share my experiences with Zana for a couple of parts ordered for my V-Strom and I've also suggested them to help them r-design some of their products for the V-Strom SX in a practical way so that it doesn't end up to be a sour apple sort of an experience for DIY-ers. Not everyone has what it takes to install things in their home or the ability to do some more modifications, and hence

The conversation...

Note: Do note the red circled dotted text headers for the important ones.

As always, Zana doing what it does best, lose on the crucial aspects, bolt length.


I've had two issues with the crash bung and the bash plate. As per request made a detailed explained, how poorly designed the bash plate was when accessing oil drain bolt.


Post which, I don't get a response an hour. Around an hour later they call me to say, this is a fault and promptly sent me this message on WA. Interestingly this bash plate's been purchased by many Strom owners, surprising none cared about it much. Perks of installing things yourself and not a mechanic.

Talking about the crash guard, thankfully my D390's old crash guard bolts came in handy of perfect length and thickness which helped me install the thing to my satisfaction. Regarding the bash plate, again used better thicker washers and PU washers for better fixability.


Glad it helps prospective customers with a better, astute design.


And so...


The Takeaway


I don't blame Zana, these are built to order and there can be very few differences from a piece to piece, but in that aspect, things built by Zana are very robust when compared to Legundary Customs which is of pathetic quality. The aspect where Zana loses is improvization based on customer feedback. The attitude of, we give you, and you fix it no matter what is a negating factor on an otherwise good experience. Zana are you listening?


Cheers!
VJ

[manojsolanki87]

Being from Delhi, I have option to visit the zana store and get accessories installed but I don't find their products aesthetically pleasing .They are heavy and overpriced as well.
I bought a top rack from legundary customs for cb350. Was unable to install and had to visit a mechanic who sorted it our in 10mins.Happy with the purchase.

[saikishor]

I never liked Zana and their products. I had Zana crashguards on my 390 Duke when I bought it. I hated them from day 1, and eventually sold them. They were literal BBQ grills on my bike.

[aargee]

Hello All
We made a weekend trip to Hyderabad & back last night. Somewhere after Kadapa, we experienced the below nightmare. Since the photo isn't clear: The left side of suspension got ripped out of the frame at the top!! There's both good & not so good experience. Let me just share the good part here while narrating the entire experience in the ownership thread.


Interceptor is built really tough!! We rode for over 250 Km in that same state & guess what? The suspension never popped out But yes, I was riding a little careful though checking & rechecking & sliced right through what Tamilnadu Weatherman calls, Red Thakkali {Red Tomato}; every moment of every second on the saddle was a heart-pumping adventure that pushed the limits and left me with an unforgettable rush of excitement.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by aargee

After this there're...one they shipped to me.

So, after this we had to ride to Hyderabad with a backpack, had to make Wife carry on her back for all the ~1280+ Km. Since we travel very light & our stay was no more than a day, we managed with a backpack.



And while returning this had happened:


Reflecting on why the bolt holding the rear suspension sheared off causing it to detach from the frame
On Thursday, after giving up to fit the Zana's saddlestay, I was putting back everything. While tightening a hex bolt at the suspension, the hex groove on the bolt became damaged, unable to grip the allen key & resulting in inability to fully tighten the bolt. Say perhaps it was tightened to some 60-70%.

On looking the picture carefully, there is a rubber bush inside the groove of the top part of the suspension, which was seated into the frame's stay. Due to the bolt not being fully tightened, the rubber bush may have been experiencing excessive sideways movement in addition to vertical movement, causing it to shear off. As there were no other stoppers or washers, the failure of the rubber bush may have caused the suspension to become dislodged from the bolt. There were no issues during the onward journey because I had lubed the chain after reaching Hyderabad & had checked for anomalies & couldn't find any. It was by luck I had noticed this dislodge when we had stopped for a water break.

Being Sunday, most shops were closed & we couldn't find a hammer. We were reluctant to call RE's RSA since we didn't know how long they would take to show up. Without the rubber bush, we could easily fit the suspension to the stay of the frame. So we decided to do that & ride as long as it could be ridden without issues while riding very carefully & checking the situation every now & then. Besides we didn't how long have we been riding with left rear suspension taking the entire load!!

After reaching home, we took the motorcycle to RE ASC. As usual, they didn't have the rubber bush in stock, but they did order for me immediately & look at the fix they offered.


Insights from the Incident

• CBR also has the same type of hex bolts {all over the fairings}, not a single time in these many years has one bolt snapped off. This throws a question to the quality of spares from RE {same hex keys used on both motorcycles}
• Although there was no bolt to keep the suspension in place, the suspension was never displaced from the frame. Does this mean simple, traditional engineering are better?
• Is Zana responsible for all these? Ofcourse, No; it's just another incident that may or may not have happened with or without them

Zana? What happened with them? It ended very well in the following post

[aargee]

So on the subsequent Monday, 24-Apr, the owner of Zana had called promised to fix the issue & went on to the extent of fabricating a custom make for me & had apologized for the not so good experience. First thing to pop in mind was Team-BHP & was profoundly thanking the community here. I was told 2 folks had sent him a private message of this thread, a big shout of THANKS to you people in addition to the founders & moderators of Team-BHP.

Since I could not take a decision immediately, I requested to be patience with me for couple of days to get back & he was quite accommodating.

• Since the handle could be fixed, I do not know what impact will it have with the AdvTribe pillion footrest which is extremely important for us
• Besides we don't know how long I'll have to spend figuring out for that perfect fix
• And God forbid, even if scooty knocks the saddlestay & it goes out of alignment, then getting another one will be a tedious task to fabricate once again
• Even if it's going to be 2 trips a year, it's additional headache to fix & remove the saddlestay
• It will be a great inconvenience to leave the saddlestay on the motorcycle for city rides. Not just inconvenient, it's additional weight & yes those saddlestays weigh a lot on top of Interceptor's weight

Considering all this, we decide to return the product & he was quite accommodating on that front as well. They refunded the money immediately & had arranged for a free pickup as well.

Big Thanks to Team-BHP

without which I would be having an unused saddlestay laying around the house unnecessarily in addition to the bitter experience.

[bf1983]

Glad to hear your ordeal got sorted. I personally will never buy nor recommend Zana products. I had a bike rack for my Z650 from Zana. Got it used from a member here.

I installed it and immediately noticed it was very badly finished and wasn't perfectly aligned and was skewed to the right. However since I didn't have too many options I kept it as it seemed sturdy enough to take a top box. However after a few months on a ride without any top box the plate just fell off the rack. I found that the screws simply got sheared off by themselves. I gave the bike to a mechanic to put the plate on the rack and he one of the screws holding the rack also got stripped and couldn't be removed.

My mechanic told me this one of a few cases of badly built Zana products that he had to remove from bikes in the past.

[T-REX84]

Back in 2017, I ordered frame sliders for my duke 390 from Zana! They only delivered the frame sliders and not the mounts on which they are installed! I was a kid back then and i tried complaining to them but all i got was shouted back at because i was accusing them falsely. At the end they said they’ll charge for it and that too an exorbitant sum. I got the bracket made at a shop here for 300 bucks. Good products, worst customer service!

[100Kmphormore]

Thanks for this! I was mulling buying those for my Himalayan but will not. I made a wise choice by going for the Viaterra element tailbag.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by 100Kmphormore

Thanks for this! I was mulling buying those for my Himalayan but will not. I made a wise choice by going for the Viaterra element tailbag.

Just asking: Why not the trusted, proven & reliable Claw? Claw offers over 55L while Element is only 35 for just a 1K more?

PS - Element is sold out in the website

[Senotrius]

So,which are the more reliable and good quality brands(manufacturers)available for bike accessories/mod nowadays? I was also under the impression that zana was a good brand. The other brands i know off are lluvia,hyperrider,carbon racing.